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Savage Bottom
Named after Frederick Savage, the originator of the design, this refers to the three-rail system for carousels.
Scoff, To; or Skoof, To
To eat. "Scoff" also can mean breakfast in bed.
Score, To
To get a large amount of money.
Scratch or Line
Money. May include both HARD and SOIT. Soft is preferred.
Scruff, To
To eke out a living; to earn just enough to buy necessary food and shelter; to live from hand-to-mouth.
Set-up, To
To erect the stands, rides, or shows.
Shake
If a raid is made after a fix or bribe has been paid, it is a "shake" or a double-cross by officers.
Shamus
A FUZZ.
Shaving Bandit
The lot man who collects payment for shavings.
Sheet
Another name for the Coconut Shy, " to shy" meaning to throw sideways with a jerk.
Sheet Writers
Men or women who sell subscriptions to magazines.
Shelf
An upper berth.
Shill
One who pretends to play a game or to buy a ticket to an attraction in order to entice others to follow him.
Shlemiel
A stupid person; one with little brain-power.
Shmuck
A person not worth much consideration.
Short-Change Artist
The operator of a carnival booth, usually the ticket booth, who is skilled at cheating customers by returning to them less than their proper change.
Short Circuit
An electrician .
Shylock
The office secretary he's advertised for when they want him to join, and because he's often accompanied by the show's profits, he may be advertised for after he leaves.
Side Stuff
A linear arrangement of sideshows.
Side Walls
The canvas walls around a tent show.
Simp Heister
The ferris wheel.
Simp Twister
The merry-go-round or carousel.
Single-a
Working to one customer at a time; a single show.
Skin Oddity
FREAKS with skins like alligators.
Slough, To
To close quickly because the law is coming or because the law is closing the show.
Slug
A dollar.
Slum
Cheap merchandise, on the smallish side, such as jewellery or gilded plaster bookends, sold at stands or given as prizes in games of chance or skill.
Smooch, To
To borrow.
Snipe
A built-up billboard belonging to a local plant.
Snipe Plant
A company that owns and services the billboards ("snipes") in an area.
Soft
Paper money, bills.
Sore Dogs
Bad feet.
Soup Dealer
The knife show or CHIVE RACK operator.
Spot
1. An engagement, fair, or celebration.
2. To locate a ride on the lot. To guide the wagons to their designated spot.
Spring
To go to one's KICK for more money. To make an offer to purchase something.
Springfield
A cry used by onlookers when one goes to his sock for more money.
Sprung
To be released from jail by the show's PATCH.
Stand
The length of the show's date is referred to as a stand; as in "one-day stand."
Sticks
1. Outside support, VAGS with alibis.
2. A shill or an accomplice to the show who's somewhere in the crowd. Sometimes sticks work in pairs.
Stick Joint
A concession stand constructed of timber or a stand which is not a trailer.
Stiff
A cheque.
Still Date
An engagement not backed by a fair or agricultural board. The show arranges to set up by itself in a shopping mall or park.
Still Horse
A form of carousel in which fixed horses, sometimes in a galloping stance, are mounted on the platform.
Stink Finger
Any ride which allows one to so move one's hands under cover of darkness, the Caterpillar, for example.
Stir
Jail.
Stomach Robber
The COOKHOUSE operator.
Stomach Timer
See BELLY STICK. Members of the tribe may carry dimes in trouser cuffs.
Store
Another name for a JOINT.
Strawberries
Change forgotten at a ticket window by purchasers.
Striker
See HIGH STRIKER.
String
A long line of horses, animals, objects, or things.
String Show
An open-front show with a long line of canvas banners.
Stripping
The practice of removing and loading decorative portions of fronts, rides, and equipment before the engagement ends.
Strong
To work a game or games for excessive amounts of money.
Strong Performance
A dirty show, one with few holds barred, including audience participation, a strong performance is often called "serving lunch."
Sunday School
A clean show or operation or a carnival midway that never allows crooked games or dirty GAL SHOWS to operate on its midway.
Sweep
In a ride that moves on a long arm, the arm is called the "sweep."
Sweetened air
Cotton candy.
Swing
To steal. Also see PUKER.
Swing With Something, To
To take something without the owner's consent.
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